Yurting

I am a day-hiker. I have never gone backpack camping.You may be wondering to yourself why I do not feel compelled to strap 30+ pounds on my back, sleep outside among the bears and cougars, and rehydrate my dinner?  It is quite simple: I want a toilet nearby, sleep in a bed, and be surrounded by solid walls. In my opinion, my avoidance of camping has made me a stronger and better hiker, because I want to see all the wilderness, so I increased my fitness stamina to be able to hike 20 miles in a day.

I have done several road trips down the scenic 101 Highway, and have hiked trails in Cape Disappointment State Park during those trips. While reading a recent article on upgrading your tent, I became aware that Cape Disappointment and many other parks have yurts that you can stay during a visit http://redtri.com/seattle/upgrade-your-tent-with-yurt-camping-in-washington/ Therefore, I found an available yurt, and planned to explore more of Cape Disappointment State Park. Cape Disappointment State Park is where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. This cape has two lighthouses; North Head (under construction during this visit) and Cape Disappointment. There are many hiking trails near the cities of Ilwaco and Long Beach (has the longest beach in the world). Hikers won't gain a lot of incline during their trip to the park, but you can definitely rack up the miles.

It was a positive experience staying in the yurt. Both nights, winds reached over 60 miles per hour, and it was great having solid structured walls that didn't cave in to the intensity of the wind. In addition, the yurt had heat, which came in handy at nighttime. Yurts are a great way for families to camp. This yurt came with a bunk bed that had a twin and full-sized mattress, a futon, two chairs, side table, and a table. Plus, there were bathrooms that had toilets and showers on the campsite. To operate the showers, you had to put quarters into the shower. Note to self: always have an emergency $5 stash of quarters in your car. Below I have attached some photos of the yurt and trip.

If you visit http://parks.state.wa.us/403/Cabins-Rustic-Shelters-Yurts, you can locate and reserve your yurt.